Star Wars VIII: Children of the Force
by HighEmpress
Summary: Set immediately after 'Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens'. This is an Episode 8 fanfiction based on many rumors. Rey has found Luke Skywalker. But why did Luke vanish? Did he find the First Jedi Temple? Will he help the Resistance? Lightyears away, General Hux and Captain Phasma are not what they seem. Some chapters will be flashbacks. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1 Luke and Rey

STAR WARS VIII : CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

Disclaimer : Disney and Lucasfilm own everything.

Summary : Set immediately after _Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens_. Based on all the rumors. Who is Rey? Is she Luke Skywalker's daughter? Why did Luke vanish? Did he find the First Jedi Temple?

Now put on your Star Wars soundtrack, sit back and enjoy.

...

STAR WARS VIII : CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

 _The Republic is in agony. The remaining systems have made a sudden alliance with the Mercenary Syndicate, an obscure and violent organisation of hired hands, in an attempt to crush the First Order with their deadly fleet. Unhappy with this choice of allies, General Organa has resigned and has retired to an undisclosed location. As a result, many of the Resistance fighters have elected not to return to their base._

 _Meanwhile, the rumor grows: Luke Skywalker has been found..._

CHAPTER 1: Luke and Rey

Time had stopped. Luke Skywalker's eyes were fixing her, seeing right through her. She could barely move or think. She wasn't scared or intimidated, but in a trance. He wasn't pushing into her mind, as Kylo Ren had done; he was a welcomed presence, a soothing whisper around her, a bubble of warmth and peace. She could almost see the light around him, like an aura. But there was something else underneath. _Shame_. _Guilt_. And something deeper: sharp, mind-numbing _doubt_.

He sighed and pressed his good fingers over his eyes. The other hand, a metallic implant bare of any skin, slipped inside his ragged white cloak. He seemed to be searching for words. At last, he let out a long breath.

"They had to believe that I was the last of the Jedi."

His tone was almost pleading.

She was tempted to shout 'why did you leave?' but she remained quiet, almost embarrassed by her boldness. Who was she, after all, to question the great Luke Skywalker?

"This is yours." She waved the lightsaber in his direction. The words that she had been practicing popped into her mind. "I've come to ask you to teach me the ways of the Force."

His sad expression turned into a soft grin. "You've already taken your first steps, Rey. In time, you will remember."

"Remember what?"

He took a few strides towards her, stopping in front of her extended hand and the weapon it held. Again, his eyes seemed to look through her, up and down, inside and outside. She was aware of his presence in her mind, but she did not try to block it.

Luke's voice was hoarse. "You remember nothing of your family. Not even names. Just some images and feelings. You lived a harsh life on that desert planet. What was it called?"

She was suddenly aware that tears were rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them hastily with her sleeve.

"Jakku," she uttered. "How can I know that and not know my parents' names?"

"It's not your fault."

"After a while, I just forgot. I was so young..."

"You weren't," he interrupted her. He raised his good hand and placed it just over her forehead, yet he didn't touch her. "Your dream has tricked you. Facts can be removed from memory, but not knowledge. You rely on your instincts to fill the gaps. You can speak different languages, am I right?"

She gasped in surprise. "Yes." She had always thought that speaking the native language on Jakku had come from growing up there. The language of droids, she had learned from practice. Chewbecca... Well, she did not know how she could understand that specific speech. As for her instincts, she immediately thought about how she had escaped from her cell at Starkiller base. She had known how to use the Force to manipulate a weak mind.

"Just as I thought," the Jedi said. "It's still there, beneath the surface."

He smiled softly, and then he glanced down at the lightsaber that was now resting on his chest.

"Sorry," she said hurriedly, lowering the weapon to her side.

"You can keep it." He looked over her shoulder as though he was seeing something on the horizon. "You're going to need it."

She glanced around quickly, but there was nothing there but rocky cliffs and the sea. She had heard stories about the Jedi having premonitions. What had he seen? How much did he know about the future? Excitement bubbled inside of her as she put away the lightsaber into her travel bag. She had found _Luke Skywalker_.

"Are you coming back? Are you going to help the Resistance defeat the First Order?"

He brushed his long grey hair with his good hand. "There is a plan, but as strange as it may sound to you, it's not supposed to be _me_."

She immediately thought of the other possibility. "When you vanished, people said that you went looking for the First Jedi Temple. Is it true? Did you find it?"

He nodded and smiled. "You're standing on it."

She immediately took a step back.

"What did you expect? White towers and gleaming halls?" the Jedi said, amused.

She had imagined a building of some kind, at least. Around her, there were only ruins, stairs of crumbling stones, the remains of rocky shelters covered with moss, but no standing structure as far as she could see.

She glanced around, in case she had missed something, but there was nothing of significance in sight. "I expected _walls_ , I think," she finally said.

He looked at her fondly. "Honesty. I like it. Just like your mother."

Rey's heart skipped a beat. "My mother?"

She could see that the topic was troubling the Jedi Master. He wrapped his white cloak a little tighter as a gust of cold wind swirled around them. "Your mother was my greatest student. She had many gifts. Healing was the main one. She saved my life many times. She could also find people who were strong in the Force, even if they didn't know it. And places too. We came here a lot. It was our favorite place. You were born here."

She gasped. "I was _born_ here. How would you know that?"

A shiver ran through her body, but it wasn't because of the cold weather. Luke Skywalker had known her mother. Her mother had been a Jedi. How could this be true? How could she not _remember_? The notion was making her slightly light-headed.

His eyes were searching hers. "This world is called Ahch-To."

She repeated the name soundlessly. It was familiar, but at the same time the information was slipping away from her, like trying to recall the details of a dream.

"And my mother's name?"

It seemed like she had waited her whole life to know that name.

"Fay Ora," said the Jedi.

A memory burst into her mind: a woman with copper-colored hair appearing through an aura of light. The vision changed and the woman was running through white corridors in a long evening dress, black and sparkling like the night sky. And then, the image changed and it became that painful vision from the basement of Maz's Castle. Kylo Ren was standing over her, his red lightsaber was about to strike her down, but this time she knew that he wasn't killing _her_. She had it all wrong. She had experienced it from someone else's perspective.

Luke Skywalker placed his good hand on her forearm, bringing her back to the present time.

"He killed my mother, didn't he? Kylo Ren."

She could hear the hate in her voice, but she didn't care.

Luke Skywalker held her gaze. "He did. I saw it happen, but I was wounded and I couldn't stop him."

"My mother is dead! Because of him!" she burst out, aware that she was shaking. The memory of Han Solo's death flashed through her mind. "He took everything from me!"

"That's not true," the Jedi whispered, suddenly stepping close to her. His blue eyes were full of meaning. "You're a child of the Force. No one can take that away from you. The Force is strong in my family. My father had it. I have it. My sister has it. Your mother had it. You have that power too."

She didn't need to hear the words to know the truth. It had been in her heart ever since the first glance. The embrace that followed was that of a father and daughter reunited.


	2. Chapter 2 Luke and Rey

STAR WARS VIII : CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 2: Luke and Rey

The sky had darkened. A cold wind was blowing on the rocky cliffs. Black clouds could be seen getting closer and closer. A storm was coming.

She had found her father, Luke Skywalker, but she was still far from having all of the answers to her questions.

"Why don't I remember anything?" she asked as they were walking down the stairs, going back to the Millennium Falcon. Chewbecca and Artoo were waiting for her to return.

"They had to believe that I was the last Jedi," he replied.

"You said that before," she said, slightly annoyed. "But why? What does it have to do with me? Why do that to your own daughter?"

He stopped and she almost bumped into him. "We didn't plan it like that. Things were going bad and we were forced to act fast. It was a way to protect you, and others like you. It was supposed to be only temporary."

" _Temporary!_ " she cried out. She could feel the blood pumping into her body, faster and faster. "How can removing someone's memories be _temporary_? How can you call that protection? I was alone and scared. You don't do that to your child. I waited! For years, I waited! I worked hard just to eat. Do you know what that's like? What was the plan? What was so important that you couldn't come and get me?"

He wheeled around, facing her. "Do you want to strike me down, Rey?"

She looked at her hands. They were closed into fists. Her knuckles were white. She immediately felt sick and cold. She thought of the lightsaber in her travel bag, and she took it out hastily. It seemed wrong somehow, how much she wanted to use it. She would have thrown the weapon to the sea, but her father held her hand. He gently lowered the lightsaber to her side.

"You have the right to be angry. You've been really brave, and you deserve the truth. Just... wait before you make up your mind about me, _please_."

He took her by the shoulders with both of his hands. Her eyes darted to the artificial metallic fingers, stripped of any synthetic skin. Seeing the bare circuitry was like looking at naked bones.

"I want to know everything," she let out, trying to steady her breathing.

"Yes. I will make things right. I swear it." His voice was strained, but she knew right away that he meant it.

He straightened his back, and started down the stairs again. She walked a few paces after him, watching his silhouette. He was older than she had imagined her father would be if he came back. Still, his pace was quick and steady. The physical exercise seemed to have little or no effect on him.

"Do you judge me by my appearance?" he cried out, on top of the howling wind and the roll of the thunder.

"I do," she said, taken aback.

He looked over his shoulder at her and flashed a playful smile. "You really shouldn't."

And then, he was gone. With a speed that didn't seem physically possible, he hopped over several steps at once and disappeared at the turn of the stairs.

It took Rey a few seconds to shake herself from the initial shock and to start after him. She ran as fast as she could, trying hard to forget all about the questions in her mind as she raced. But there were still so many gaps in her memory. It was frightening to think about how much she didn't know about her life.

The long stair was not a single path anymore; it had turned into a maze. She had lost her bearings while she had been thinking. Icy rain was coming down now, blurring her vision, shaking her body with cold. Still, she kept going, taking more sharp turns and going down more stairs. At some length, she came to a dead end and panic took hold of her. She was face to face with an alcove carved in the rocks and covered with moss. It wasn't deep, but from the shadows she heard a scream. It was her voice, small and pleading, like in the dream on Takadoma. She was in the corridors of a transport ship, and then she was sprawled on the ground, with Kylo Ren standing above her, about to strike her down. But this time, she could hear her mother crying. _I'm not giving up on you, Ben. Not ever, I swear it_. And then he killed her. He struck her down with all of his hate. Screams filled her mind, and her head burst with blinding pain.

She stumbled backwards, feeling sick to her stomach and shaking with cold and dread. The ground under her feet wouldn't stop moving. She felt a presence behind her. A cloak fell around her shoulders. Suddenly she was on the move again, but not entirely of her own free will.

Moments later, she was inside the Millennium Falcon, surrounded by familiar sights and sounds. She did not remember getting there. She was sitting in the common area, in front of the game table, still shivering but getting warmer. Chewie's howling filled the air. It was hard to make up what he was saying on top of the noise of the raging storm outside: something about women without fur...

Someone placed a cup of steaming liquid between her hands. Luke Skywalker was sitting beside her, and she was afraid that he was seeing right through her. If he was, then it meant that he knew how much she wanted to kill Kylo Ren...

"You saw what he did," she said in a whisper.

"Yes," said Luke.

"And he killed Han Solo," she added meaningfully. She took a sip of the beverage, aware that her hands were trembling.

Chewbecca let out a strong cry.

"No, you will not avenge him, Chewie," Luke replied immediately. "Kylo Ren has done enough damage to this family. Han had to try, no matter what the odds were, but we have to leave it at that." He glanced over his shoulder at the Whookie. "It's me you should be angry at. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

More howls told Rey that Han's co-pilot was not blaming the Jedi for anything, that grown men were accountable for their actions.

"What about my mother? Why did he have to kill her?"

Luke took a long breath. "Your mother was on her way back. She was charged with a very important mission. She had found people strong in the Force, convinced them to train, and she was bringing them back with her. She was bringing them to me, to be trained. You were on that transport ship, along with the others. It was more potential than I had hoped for."

Rey thought about the bright corridor she had seen in her dream. She wasn't certain, but it seemed to be turning into a memory. Friendly, familiar faces were coming back to her. A young man had bumped into her, and made a comment about her hair. He was always in the cockpit, watching the pilots. She was almost positive that she knew him somehow. She tried to hang on to his image but after a few seconds it faded from her brain.

"So I wasn't training with you?" she asked her father.

"You are a child of the Jedi. You were brought up in the ways of the Force. It was different for you."

"But you weren't with my mother on her mission," she insisted.

"No. I was training Ben Solo on Takadoma."

Rey thought back about her vision in Maz Kanata's castle. The place was strong in the Force, she knew it now. Han Solo had brought her there. Was it possible that he had known more than what he had shown?

"Then what happened?"

It was as though a heavy burden had fallen on the Jedi's shoulders. "Things were not going so great with Ben. He left abruptly, and I feared what he would be like when he returned. A shift in the Force was happening, affecting many people's lives. Everything was just turning... dark. Snoke was working against me. I could feel his determination to destroy the Jedi. I called your mother. I urged her to hide everyone, separately, on different worlds, even you. Snoke was growing stronger. He could feel the Force. Wiping coordinates from a computer wasn't enough. Your mother and I decided to go one step further."

Luke's face grew pale, as though the idea was making him sick.

"You took our memories," Rey concluded.

The Jedi nodded. "Enough years to remove all events related to the Force. For most people, it wasn't much. But for you, it meant most of your life."

Rey immediately thought of her oldest memory: watching a transport ship leave, and shouting at it to 'come back'.

"You were not as young as that," said Luke, echoing what she was thinking. "It wasn't that long ago. I told your mother to stay away. But she thought like Han that she could help Ben."

Rey could only stare at him, horrified.

" _My mother_ did it. She went into my mind and removed... everything."

"It tore her heart to do it, and to leave you all behind. She still came back, though I had told her not to. Kylo Ren was waiting. He was no longer Ben. He knew right away that the transport ship was empty. He did not wait. He didn't even try to break into her mind. He just went into a fury and killed her."

Rey could hear the emotion in Skywalker's voice. The horror of it all was making her shiver, but she knew that what her father was going through – reliving it for her – was even worst.

"I was wounded," he replied to her unspoken question. "I saw it happen, but I wasn't strong enough. Ren blew up the ship too, and that's when I..." He stopped to breath. His sorrow and his pain were like an opened wound. "... When I realised that you were lost. Without you mother and without coordinates, I could never find you."

His hands were on the game table, and she reached out to them, squeezing his good fingers.

"We found each other now," she uttered. She was only barely aware of the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"We didn't abandon you, Rey," he said, with more conviction. "And I never stopped... hoping."

Suddenly she was crying uncontrollably, overpowered by emotions. Her father placed a comforting arm around her shoulder and she leaned her head against his chest.

They remained like this for a long time, until she fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3 Luke and Rey

STAR WARS VIII : CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 3: Luke and Rey

When Rey woke up, she felt better. She had dreamt of blue sky and a sandy beach: an oddly peaceful dream considering the revelations of the last few hours. She stretched out on the bunk bed of the _Millennium Falcon_. A woolly blanket that smelled like Chewbecca had been laid down on her. Her travel bag was on the game table. She went to it and immediately found what she was looking for: her father's lightsaber. She clipped it to her belt. _Luke Skywalker_ was her father. Finn would never believe it.

Thinking about her friend seemed to give her a boost of energy. With a spring in her step, she stepped into the corridor, looking for her father and Chewie. She crossed Artoo's path and the little droid wheeled around to follow her. Then a thought crossed her mind and she stopped short. The astromech droid bumped into her and chirped something rude.

Rey closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. She could feel the Force around her, flowing like a river of light, inside the _Millennium Falcon_ , and outside of it. Her instincts had been right: she was alone on the ship. Also, they had _moved_. The ship was not on a rocky cliff anymore. She could feel other people's presence in a short distance. They were friendly working people, not threatening in any way. She stretched her senses to find Luke. She found the Whookie first, but no sign of her father.

Suddenly the door whooshed opened and Chewie walked in, closely followed by Skywalker. The Whookie was carrying a basket full of food. The smell of freshly baked bread filled the hallway. The wind from the open doorway also carried another smell: fish.

"Good, you're up," Luke said cheerfully. "You love these."

He placed a pastry in her hand. She bit into it at once. The taste of salt and sweet caramel filled her mouth. It was definitely familiar.

Luke smiled at her, clearly satisfied with her reaction.

"Why couldn't I find you?" Rey asked between two mouthfuls. "How did you do that?"

The Whookie growled something about having no intention to eat inside. Luke nodded in agreement and Rey followed him down the extended landing platform. The sight was different from the rocky cliffs where they had first landed. The trees and the grass were taller and greener. The sea was close but calmer. The sky still looked like it could rain again, but the breeze was warm and inviting.

"You create an inner shield," Luke explained as he sat on a short stool that Chewbecca had laid down for him. "You can hide your presence in the Force. It's sort of a natural habit for me. A good one to have, I might add."

"Can you teach me?" she asked eagerly, sitting beside him on the ground, legs crossed.

"You know this, Rey. You must concentrate on remembering."

"Is it possible? Do you think it will come back?"

The Jedi started to stroke his beard with his good hand. "We will see."

Skywalker let Chewbecca fulfill the task of dispatching the food. The meal laid out in from of them would have been enough portions to support a family for a week, back on Jakku. She had imagined many times what it would be like to leave the harsh world, to explore the galaxy. In a way, she was thankful for all that she had seen. Though there was darkness, she had also seen light, and that was a good sign.

Rey took a deep breath, allowing the familiar smells to fill her lungs. The _Falcon_ was resting on a beach of glassy pebbles, with the sea stretching in front of it: water as far as the eyes could see. The sound of the waves had a constant musical rhythm to Rey's ears, peaceful and calming. Not far from the space freighter, there were a dozen white and blue fishermen boats with rolled up sails and markings painted on their sides. The smell of bread and fish clearly came from the village to their left, where people could be seen coming and going from houses to shops. Another freighter, Nubian from the look of it, was being loaded with crates of goods. A large radar dish and a power generator could be seen on top of a rocky hill.

"There's a lot of activity here," said Rey.

She immediately noticed that the Whookie had kept a large portion of raw meat to himself. Rey picked a red fruit instead. She bit into it and the same feeling of familiarity engulfed her once more. The small amount of anxiety that she was feeling about being so exposed seemed to fade away. So far, it was the most amazing meal she had ever had.

Luke smiled. "We actually found Ahch-To while looking at a registry of food suppliers. It was recommended by a friend, Lando Calrissian. Your mother and I were just looking for a quiet getaway."

"And the Jedi Temple is _here_ ," said Rey, enthusiastic after her third red fruit.

Chewie barked loudly.

"Coincidence? I don't really believe that," Rey replied cheerfully. She looked at Luke meaningfully. "But where is it exactly?"

The Jedi turned his head to the right where it was possible to see the outline of a few rocky islands. "It's not really a place, but it's here," he uttered mysteriously.

"I don't understand..."

"You're still thinking in terms of some building," Luke went on. "The Temple is here. It's everywhere on the planet. It's memory. It's past, present and future. But those memories aren't speaking to me. I was hoping that they would."

Rey noticed that he wasn't eating much. He had taken only a piece of cheese and given the rest of his meal to Chewie. He had pulled his ragged white cloak close to his body, even though the weather wasn't cold.

"Is that why you stayed here for so long?"

He nodded, but his eyes had a far off look. He was clearly thinking more about this than he was saying.

Rey suddenly found that her father looked tired and she wondered if he had had any sleep. She was about to inquire, when suddenly Chewie let out a self-satisfied howl.

"What do you mean 'you knew who I was'?" Rey asked the Whookie.

The following comment surprised her.

"Han Solo and Maz Kanata guessed it too! But nobody said anything!"

She glanced at Luke to get his input.

"They were right not to," he agreed. "Think about your first encounter with Kylo Ren. He would have taken you to Snoke right away."

The idea made Rey clench her teeth and close her hands into fists again.

"You look a lot like your mother, you know. It's unmistakable, except for the hair," Luke said with fondness. "Many people knew Fay. She was my student. Then later, she became a well-known Jedi Knight."

"Fay..." she repeated dreamily. Her mother's image popped into her mind again. A woman with a long copper braid on the side of her head was removing the helmet off the head of a red-haired child.

As rapidly as it had come, the memory was gone. She took her head between her hands, massaging her temples. A red-haired child couldn't possibly have been her. Where did that image come from?

She glanced at her father, but he seemed lost in thought. If he had seen what she had seen, he said nothing about it.

"Did people know about our family?" she asked.

Luke shook his head and sighed. "Over the years, concerns about safety turned into layers of secrets. We were happy on Ahch-To because nobody knew who we were and we could be ourselves. Anyway, that was before I left to train Ben."

There was so much sorrow behind his words. The guilt that he felt was palpable. Kylo Ren had done this: he had hurt her friends and her family. Suddenly she wasn't very hungry. She knew she shouldn't feel like this, but she almost couldn't contain her anger.

"How can you stand it? How can you stay here and not want to kill him?" she said a little more forcefully than she had intended.

The Whookie growled a low moan.

"You're right, Chewie," said Luke. "It's not the way of the Jedi. Also, Fay would have disapproved, not to mention Han and Leia. As much as it pains me, I have to steer away from Kylo Ren's path."

"Then you'll help the Resistance," Rey said resolutely.

She immediately felt Luke's deep-rooted self-doubt surface, on top of the gut-wrenching guilt, and shake his poised demeanor.

"The First Jedi Temple was supposed to serve that purpose. To have a fighting chance against Snoke, we need a Jedi Order. By myself, I don't have what it takes to train a whole new generation. I think Kylo Ren is a proof of that. I thought that the memories of past Jedi Masters contained here on Ahch-To could help me. Guide me. I've been patient, really patient, and still nothing. If it's just me, there is no hope."

"How can you say that!" she let out in spite of her better judgement, and then she clasped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment.

Luke leaned far back from her, and Chewie barked in amusement.

"It's not funny. It's the truth," asserted the Jedi.

The Whookie let out more cries.

"I do want to help," Skywalker replied, slightly abashed. "I've been trying for a long time, in the best way that I can."

"By staying here and _hiding_ ," Rey cut in. "Whatever you've been waiting for, it's not going to happen."

The color seemed to drain from Skywalker's face. The long strands of grey hair were dancing in front of his eyes. Rey didn't really know what he could bring to the Resistance, but if the legends were true, he could bring balance back to the Force, whatever that meant. At the very least, they would have a better chance of defeating Snoke.

"Come back with me," Rey said eagerly. "One Jedi is better than none at all."

Through all of his insecurities, Luke managed a weak smile. " _Two_ Jedi are better than none," he corrected her. "But for you it means getting your skills back and fast. Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" Rey cried out, startled.

Luke didn't reply. He only smiled.


	4. Chapter 4 Luke and Rey

STAR WARS VIII: CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 4

They were putting away what was left of the meal when they were interrupted by Artoo's clamorous whistling.

The astromech droid had managed to slide down the loading platform and roll up to the Jedi Master. Luke placed a hand on the droid's dome. "Yes, Artoo, I will listen to your message now. I've delayed you long enough. But let's get inside the Falcon. The light is getting low."

They stepped inside just as it started to rain. As she walked in, Rey felt a strange nostalgia engulf her. It took her a few minutes to realise that the feelings were not hers; they were Luke's. She just had not noticed it before, probably because of his so-called inner shield, or of her own close-mindedness. Now she could feel the deep fondness that he had for the Millennium Falcon. There were memories here of first encounters, battles won and battles lost. He missed Han. He missed his sister, Leia. The pain of Fay's death was still fresh, unbearable to behold. There was a big void in the Jedi's heart, caused by many loses. Ben's betrayal was the worst: it held a sickening feeling of failure and self-doubt.

He caught her arm. "We need to work on your Jedi manners," he uttered.

Feeling slightly shameful, she settled on the seat in front of the control panel and turned on the low power mode to shed some light on the living area. Chewie put away the remaining food, probably enough for a week, in the overhead cargo. He then went back to close and lock the loading platform. Minutes later, he informed them that the Falcon was secured.

Artoo positioned his projector at Luke's request. An image came out, slightly distorted. Rey immediately thought that the little astromech droid had seen better days.

Small in the middle of the room, General Organa looked pale and grave with her hands clasped in front of her. _Luke's sister_ , thought Rey instantly. It was strange to think about Leia Organa as family. The idea had not quite sunk in yet.

 _Luke, if you're seeing this, it means that Rey found you. I hope I did the right thing by sending her to you. I wished you had told us. You keep thinking that your burden cannot be shared, but you're wrong. Luke, I don't pretend to know all of your plans, but I have to warn you about General Hux. All of those years of infiltrating the First Order may have changed him. There's a good chance that he turned to the Dark Side. He destroyed planets. I beg you to consider it. He could be setting a trap for you. I don't want to lose you the way I lost Han. And you have to think about Rey now. Snoke is looking for her. Just come back, please. Luke, we need you._

The image faded, and all became quiet, except for the dull hum of the Millennium Falcon's low power mode. Rey's mind was bursting with questions. General Hux was one of the most hated men in the galaxy. His weapon – Starkiller Base – had destroyed an entire star system. He had almost been able to use it _twice_. The Republic has lost its fleet because of him. Was it possible that he could be on the side of the Resistance?

She glanced at Luke. He was seated on the edge of a chair, looking lost in thought, stroking his bearded cheek with his good hand.

The Whookie barked a long sentence and Artoo whistled loudly at the same time.

"He didn't turn to the Dark Side, Chewie," the Jedi replied right away. "I know it."

The Whookie made a sound that felt like a solemn vow, and Artoo whistled happily too.

Rey stared at Chewbecca, surprised by his response. "Why do you say 'family is higher'?"

But Artoo kept whistling and dancing on his side legs, making it difficult to make out what the Whookie was saying.

"I agree, Chewie," said the Jedi. "And I gladly accept your help."

"General Hux, an infiltrator!" Rey said incredulously. "No one will believe it!"

The Whookie snorted in amusement.

"Why is that so funny?" Rey cried out.

She was interrupted by a symphony of alarms coming from the astromech droid.

"Another message, Artoo?" said Luke. "Classified? Hold on, I can probably access it."

The Jedi Master kneeled in front of the droid, opening a side panel to access the circuitry. He then began a complicated bypass of the security protocols.

"Is everything in this family _classified_?" Rey said under her breath.

The Jedi knew what he was doing, Rey realised suddenly as she watched her father work. After all, Luke Skywalker had been an X-Wing pilot too. There was at least one common set of skills that was _not_ locked in her memory.

She kneeled beside her father, reaching for a particular wire on Artoo's side. "This astromech droid is old design. Wait until you meet BB-8. Here, I think we need to reset his base programming circuitry. I just need to reverse the polarity off..."

There was a flash of light and an image materialised in the same spot where General Organa had been just a few minutes ago. However, it was not a person that Rey had expected to see.

" _Finn_?"

The former Stormtrooper was whispering.

 _This is a message to Luke Skywalker from General Hux. Go to Tatooine. It's almost done. Don't come for me. Go to Tatooine. It's important. Do it for me. You can end this._ Finn turned his face away, and then added in an after-thought _, May the Force be with you._

The image faded, and Rey sunk to the floor, stunned.

The word escaped her lips once more. "Finn..."

She almost didn't notice it when Luke pressed his good hand on her shoulder. "Your friend... It's not his fault."

She didn't bother containing her disdain. "He's working for the First Order! For General Hux!"

Luke lowered himself besides her. "And Hux is on our side."

She gasped. It didn't seem possible. General Organa's voice rang in her mind. _All of those years of infiltrating the First Order may have changed him._

"He's a monster," Rey said in a low voice.

Her comment seemed to strike Luke. She felt his distress immediately. "Hux is someone who sacrificed a lot," he replied.

"What about Finn?" She asked, unable to hide the plea in her tone. "He was a Stormtrooper. Is he dangerous? Is he being controlled?"

Skywalker shook his head, half-smiling at her alarm. "Stormtrooper. It makes sense. No, he's very much the same person. He probably doesn't even remember carrying any message. When did he have access to Artoo?"

Rey tried to think back, but all that she could see in her mind was Finn, stretched out on a medical unit, eyes closed. The sound of his slow heartbeat on the monitor had been nearly heartbreaking. Kylo Ren had done this to him...

She was brought back to reality by Chewie's low growls.

"Just before the attack on Starkiller Base then," said Luke in response. "Somehow he managed to activate Artoo's back up unit and record those few words for me."

The Whookie added a piece of information.

"He knew the weapon's design and weaknesses too?" Luke replied, slightly surprised. "It seems a bit much for a Stormtrooper. Hux must have known what he was doing."

Rey could find nothing to say. She knew first-hand that the Stormtroopers were easy to manipulate, but she didn't like to think of Finn in those terms. What she liked most about him was his honesty and good nature. That he may have had a hidden agenda was definitely unsettling.

"How?" she breathed out.

Luke clasped his hands in front of him. "General Hux has full access to the Stormtrooper's conditioning program. He's doing something to them, something concealed within their subconscious. I'm not sure what exactly, but they can deliver messages without knowing it. Hux' Stormtroopers have been helping the Resistance for a while. This is how Leia got the plans for the Starkiller weapon, among other things."

Rey suddenly felt very insignificant. "You know this? How?"

Luke merely shrugged. "I've been paying attention. Lots of traders come to Ahch-To."

That didn't sound right to Rey. She could feel an uncomfortable tickling at the back of her neck.

"Are you lying?" she asked suddenly realising what the sensation was.

Luke glanced at Chewie who barked loudly about 'stupid men and their secrets'. "All right! All right!" the Jedi cried out, sounding annoyed. "Han told me."

The truth made Rey gasp. "You were in contact with Han Solo."

Before the Jedi could reply, the Whookie interrupted again with a low moan.

"Yes, no more secrets, Chewie," uttered Luke. "You're right. It has to stop." He turned to his daughter. "Han knew where I was, but he swore not to say anything. He did it for me. He kept it from Leia too. It has nothing to do with you."

Rey could feel her whole body shiver. "Layers of secrets, you said."

Luke shifted on his seat, never breaking eye contact with her. She had to admire his courage.

"There is one more secret that you should know," he added. "About General Hux."

She crossed her arms on her chest. "Right. Who is he then? Is he someone you manipulated?"

Luke shook his head. Her accusation had stung him, she could feel it. "No. He volunteered."

The idea was so bold that it didn't seem possible. "What kind of person would do that? To infiltrate the First Order at such a high level would take incredible skills, not to mention a death wish. Can you imagine if he was caught?"

Luke looked at her meaningfully. "I try _not_ to imagine. He must be rescued."

"The message just said _not_ to," said Rey, taken aback.

"It doesn't have to be _me_ doing the rescuing," the Jedi replied.

"It could be a trap..."

Chewie suddenly let out a long growl. Rey couldn't believe what she was hearing. She jumped to her feet. "What do you mean _his_ _son_?"

The Whookie lifted his chin towards Luke. Artoon whistled cheerfully.

" _Your_ son!" Rey almost shouted at the Jedi. She instinctively clasped her hand on her month. "General Hux is your son." The truth hit her like a wave of clarity. "I have a _brother_."

She knew instantly that it was true. A brother. Her memories were a blur, but her feelings about him were real. That part of her childhood had been _happy_ : running along a sandy beach chasing birds, building castles in the sand, throwing pebbles to the waves, collecting glassy rocks, eating sweet red fruits. It was the same red fruits that had tasted so familiar just moments ago. Somehow, she had always known. She had always thought of her family as a unit, not just a father and a mother. Now she knew who the red-haired child with the helmet was. It was a boy. She could almost hear his name. His name...

" _Wynn_. His name's Wynn."


	5. Chapter 5 Luke and Rey

STAR WARS VIII: CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 5

Her father nodded. "Your insights are correct."

Then something happened that she had not expected: his eyes filled up with tears. From where she was sitting, she could see him trembling. Rey felt a wave of emotions take hold of her, tightening her throat. Without thinking, she stepped closer and placed her hand on her father's forearm, just above his bionic hand.

He returned the gesture wholeheartedly. "I'm all right, Rey, I'm all right."

"I remember him," she said, sitting beside her father. Her voice was a whisper. "Tell me about him."

Chewie declared his interest as well. Apparently, he didn't know this part of the story.

Luke took a long steadying breath before he began.

"General Hux is the identity that Wynn created for himself, to infiltrate the First Order. It was a foolish plan from the start. The First Order was recruiting heavily. Wynn had the skills they were looking for. It was that simple. Like I said, he volunteered. We established the mission objectives together. The goal was to find a way to overturn the First Order from within, and to get high enough in rank to be allowed access to the Supreme Leader's hidden base. Get to Snoke and kill him."

Luke's eyes narrowed and he paused.

"Snoke's the _leader_ of the First Order," said Rey, incredulous. "You make it sound like he's impossible to find. The Resistance surely must know something about his location."

Skywalker gave her a meaningful glance. "They don't, I assure you. Snoke is very clever that way. The Resistance can't fight what they can't find."

Rey moved to the edge of her seat. "Then what happened?"

Luke sighed. " _Kylo Ren_ happened. I watched your mother get killed. Then out of the blue I see this ship." He glanced around fondly, pressing his good hand on the wall of the Millennium Falcon. "Wynn came to rescue me, with Han and Chewie. He brought me to Ahch-To. And then he was gone."

"Do you think his plan worked?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Wynn's plans always work."

"And now he wants you to go to Tatooine."

Luke seemed a little concerned by the idea. "It's a strange request at this point, so it must be important."

"What do you think he meant when he said 'it's almost done'? Does he mean what he's doing to the Stormtroopers?"

"I suppose so," said Luke. "We haven't spoken in years. I can only assume that he's following the plan. The number of rogue Stormtroopers seems to support that."

The question in Rey's head sounded cruel, but she had to ask. "How can you be sure that Wynn is still _Wynn_?"

Luke smiled weakly. "Search your feelings. What do _you_ think?"

"I... don't remember enough," Rey said sheepishly. "It's just... General Organa begged you to consider... so I'm _considering_."

Luke leaned back on his chair. In the past hours, she had seen him flinch under the burden of failure, doubt and guilt. But on the topic of Wynn's allegiance, he was completely unmovable. Was it blindness because Wynn was his son?

"You are right to question my judgement," he said as though he had been reading her mind. "Leia could be right. He's kept up the pretense for so long. What if it did change him? But I allowed him to do this, so I have to believe that he could pull it off. If he did turn to the Dark Side, then I am to blame."

Rey could easily tell that the idea was torturing the Jedi knight. She thought about Leia's message. Perhaps it was indeed time for the great Luke Skywalker to share some of his self-imposed responsibilities.

Chewbecca growled in a hopeful tone.

"Yes, Wynn is really strong," Luke replied. "He's strong in the Force and in character."

"What about Kylo Ren? How can he _not_ know who General Hux is?" Rey asked, intrigued. This was definitely another layer of secrets.

Luke shifted on his seat.

"When Ben was born, I had a vision. A terrible vision," he began to say. His eyes moved out of focus as though he was reliving the painful memory. "I saw Leia's son and my son fighting each other, and Ben killing Wynn. I felt it on a level that shook my very core. Leia saw it too." He took a deep breath. "In that moment, Leia and I agreed that the boys would never meet. My son, and any other children of mine, would remain anonymous. I taught Wynn how to use the Force to hide himself, how to shield his mind, from a very young age. Years later, I did the same with you. When Ben came to train with me, Wynn went to study on Yavin Four. He took up engineering and tactics there, part of a Republic training program. The name Skywalker was left behind. Your brother became _Wynn_ _Antilles_. Ben was never told that either of you existed."

Rey's eyes widened. "The perfect cover," she said in wonder.

Luke nodded. "One vision and I gave in to my fears. Many lives changed that day, including yours and your mother's."

Chewbecca barked a comment. "Yes, it changed things for you too, Chewie," Luke agreed, slightly amused. "Han and Leia played along, keeping an eye on Wynn only remotely. Fay moved to Ahch-To permanently and we were careful not to be seen together in public again. Han called it 'the Skywalker stealth mode'. He wasn't happy about it. He hated the lying and concealing. Thinking back, he may have been right."

"How so?" Rey asked.

Luke was stroking his breaded chin. "He asked to be taken to the site where Vador's body was burnt. Then he started to talk about being the _Skywalker heir_. Han tried to show him other paths that he may chose, but Ben had his mind set on becoming a Jedi Knight. At the end, Leia asked me to train him, and it seemed unavoidable."

Rey took a moment to give it some thought. "Who put those ideas in his head? Was it Snoke? Was it how he turned him to the Dark Side?"

Luke's voice was strained. "It's possible. Contrary to popular thinking, I don't know everything that went on in Ben's head."

"Leia doesn't blame you," Rey cut in right away.

Her father only seemed to get paler as he spoke. "She blames herself, which is worst. That kind of guilt can consume you."

"Like the guilt you feel when you think about Wynn and what he had to do."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. She had felt that guilt. It was in her father's voice every time he said Wynn's name. She immediately saw in the Jedi's eyes that she had spoken the truth.

"Wynn is not like Ben," she continued, "they're completely opposites. When I think about him, I only see goodness and _light_."

Luke managed a weak smile. "You're beginning to think like a Jedi again."

She suddenly felt like there was finally a clear path in front of her. "That can be my mission. I want to rescue Wynn."

Luke shook his head. His metal hand was resting on Artoo's dome. "Yes, I would very much like that, but we must go to Tatooine first. And I will help you with your memories. But to do this, I must leave Ahch-To. For me it's... difficult."

Suddenly he stood up, but his shoulders remained hunched. He took a few steps, but he stopped abruptly, swaying. He regained his balance by leaning one shaking hand on the _Falcon's_ wall.

Rey's heart skipped a beat. She immediately went by his side. "What's wrong?"

She could no longer feel him. He had brought his inner shield up again. Whatever he meant to spare her from, it couldn't be good.

"No more secrets," she whispered close to his ear.

"I'm all right, Rey. I just need some time."

With these words, he opened the door and left the ship, walking out on the pouring rain.


	6. Chapter 6 Hux and Phasma

STAR WARS VIII: CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 6: Hux and Phasma

General Hux was pacing the bridge of the Star Destroyer _Crusader_ , giving out his orders systematically, the tactical side of his mind working at light speed. Years of practice had taught him how to keep his composure amidst the sounds of the firing cannons and the screaming of the alarms. It was not necessarily the case for all of the officers who were busying around him.

"Do not break formation," Hux said forcefully.

He heard several "aye, sir," as the ships were repositioned for attack.

On the view screen, four other Star Destroyers were facing the fire power of the Mercenary Syndicate. The _Crusader_ was closing in on the enemy regardless of the damages it had taken, and the other ships were following by example. This was a bold move for the Resistance, this alliance with the mob. The mercenary ships were mismatched but well equipped. Their maneuvers, however, were erratic and uncoordinated. The lack of leadership was their main weakness.

"Hold this position!" Hux shouted on top of the noise. "Do not let them through. Target the Resistance frigates they are protecting."

"Which ones, sir?" asked an officer to his left. The chaos was causing the officers to lose focus.

The General's eyes darted towards the center screen, making silent calculations. "All of them!" he cried out. "Pass on the command to the other ships. You have the fire power of the First Order. Use it! The longer we keep them on the defensive, the easier it will be for us to crush them."

The orders were relayed swiftly. He heard "fire!" being shouted several times. Aiming the more advanced cannons took longer than he would have accepted in a simulation, but when they came into action, the damages to the more vulnerable frigates increased dramatically.

He had to keep the Star Destroyers into position and the situation under control: it was essential for the remaining of the plan.

"Give me a report on those frigates."

"Fifty-one percent are destroyed, sir," replied an officer.

"Bring out the TIE fighters. Destroy the rest," Hux said fiercely.

Clasping his hands behind his back, he walked the full length of the bridge, watching the attack on both sides through the view screens. The Tie fighters of five Star Destroyers had been unleashed and the mercenaries were losing patience and direction, firing randomly or fleeing the scene.

Hux headed towards a control panel on the wall and waved to Captain Phasma to join him. The silver-clad stormtrooper had been standing on the threshold of the bridge ever since the start of the attack. He could always count on Phasma to be at the right place, at the right time.

"Are we ready?" he asked.

"Kylo Ren has been secured on board your ship, sir," replied the metallic female voice.

He had expected no less from her. It was time, then. He keyed in a few commands on the wall panel. The ship's specification came up, and Hux felt a speck of pride. The stealth armor was beautiful, like reflective scales of silver and green. The wingspan resembled that of a black bird with feathers curved towards its beak. The ship's overall shape reminded Hux of the old Rebel symbol. Oh well, the irony wasn't intentional. He had named her _Tomorrow Star_ , but no one was privileged to that information, except Captain Phasma. All systems were operational. They would have no problem getting away from the battle. The coordinates for the destination, however, were still unavailable.

"Sir, we have a rogue TIE Fighter."

All eyes on the bridge turned to him. The last thing he needed was to be the center of attention right now. He saw Commander Vano shot him an accusing look. The high ranking officer took a few strides towards his station. Hux quickly removed the ship's specs from view. He clasped his hands behind his back and turned to the radar. One of the TIE Fighter had clearly broken away from the fight.

"Another anomaly, Hux," said Commander Vano, not bothering to hide the contempt in his voice. "You can't deny that this is happening too often."

It was easier just to ignore Vano's self-assured attitude. "Show me the stormtroopers in that TIE Fighter," he asked a crewman.

The screen in front of him lit up to reveal two youngsters with the designations AC-Two-Three-Two-Six and NX-Twelve-Eleven. The image blinked and they were now grown man in white uniforms, but with no helmets. The first was a man in his late twenties with almond-shaped black eyes and straight black hair. The other one was older with piercing blue eyes and short blond hair. Both were unexceptional, with no previous history of insubordination. There was a minor glitch, though: Nx-1211 was the stormtrooper who had allowed Ren's prisoner to escape.

The prisoner... The girl with the blue lightsaber... _Rey_...

Hux quickly pushed the idea out of his mind. He mustn't allow his mind to wander.

"The rebels cannot get their hands on them," Vano said between greeted teeth.

The commander knew very well that Hux was the only one who could give the order to terminate the rogue TIE Fighter.

"The rebels will get their hands on them if I want them to, Commander," Hux replied shrewdly.

He saw Vano's face turn red. "If word of the conditioning program's failure gets out..."

" _Calculated_ failure," said Hux, correcting him, "Unless you're accusing me of anything."

Vano's swallowed hard, but still he pressed the issue on. " _Calculated_. That's what you've been saying, but where is the validation of your so-called strategy? Where is your data? So far you have not provided any proof..."

Hux remained unmovable. "You are a fool, Vano," he said forcefully. "You are thinking only in small terms. If you don't understand the Supreme Leader's plans, then you should be quiet. And do not question my tactics. It irritates me."

"I question your tactics because your tactics make no sense, Hux," said the commander. His voice was shaking almost imperceptibly.

"Sir, the rogue TIE Fighter is getting away," said the crewman who was monitoring the radar. "Should we pursue it?"

On the screen, the Resistance and mercenary ships were scattering. If the battle ended too soon, he would lose the cover he needed for his departure. The Supreme Leader had given him special instructions to follow as a condition to receive the secret coordinates. He couldn't fail now.

General Hux turned his back to Commander Vano. He had no more time for this conversation. Captain Phasma was still waiting nearby, but growing restless. She, too, knew that the window of opportunity was closing.

"Send a squad after the TIE Fighter," Hux ordered the bridge captain, "but do not destroy it. Allow it to leave."

"Yes, sir," confirmed the officer.

"And give the authorisation code for my ship's take off," he added.

He felt before he even heard Commander Vano lose his temper. "Hux, you are mad and you've lost your way! Captain, destroy the TIE Fighter _now_!"

Everyone on the bridge froze. Only the sound of the beeping radars and the pulse of the firing cannons remained.

"That's an order, Captain!" Vano yelled.

But the captain did not budge. His eyes were fixed on the highest-ranking officer on the bridge.

General Hux moved quickly. He took the blaster from Phasma's belt. He fired three shots at Commander Vano, hitting him three times on the chest. Then he returned the weapon to its owner without a word.

The bridge captain swallowed before he spoke. "The rogue TIE Fighter is out of range, sir. The squad fired several shots, but reported no damages."

Hux nodded. "Forget the TIE fighter. It is my concern, not yours. Forget the mercenaries too, they mean nothing. Concentrate your fire on the Resistance freighters." He looked around the bridge at all of those men, old and young, who were carrying out his orders without hesitation. This kind of authority could not be bought or faked. The _Crusader_ would lead the rest of the assault by example.

General Hux strode towards the blast-doors, signaling Captain Phasma to follow him.

"Destroy them all," he called to the crew on his way out. Then he paused. "Anyone else want to question my tactics?"

Behind him he felt the hollowness of obedience.

"No, sir," replied the captain.

"Very good, captain. You are the commanding officer now. Carry on."

There was only one pilot's position on the _Tomorrow_ _Star_. The seat was at the angle of a triangle-shaped space, in the front-center of the ship. There were two co-pilot's chairs on each side; Phasma had taken the one to his right. The craft could be manoeuvered by one individual, but Hux had allowed himself some liberty on the design, making it comfortable for at least five people on the cockpit. The _Tomorrow Star_ was one of the rare things in the last few years where he had been able to really express his aptitudes. The wings were two protective domes of black and green over the living area on the left and some cargo space on the right. The back held the twin engines, side by side like the feathers of a tail. There was the stealth armor too: reflective panels tinted black and green, oval-shaped like scales, covering the entire wingspan.

The design had turned out exactly how he had pictured it. The technology it held was equally impressive, particularly the stealth mode. The hyperdrive too was quite an accomplishment on a ship slightly smaller than the Millennium Falcon.

The freighter's advanced features gave it another very important advantage: few people in the First Order understood the high tech components enough to see the full potential of the ship's specifications. Kylo Ren himself had inspected it and declared it "nothing more than a fancy toy". Even as a boy, Ben Solo had shown no aptitudes for mechanics or engineering.

Hux switched on the auto-pilot function. They were flying in silence. Phasma had said nothing since the take off. She was occasionally glancing at the display showing the progression of the battle, but she was keeping her helmet on, for the time being.

The third presence on the ship, Kylo Ren, was heavily sedated on a stretcher in the cargo hold, connected to a monitor that would scream in alarm in the event of any irregularity in Ren's vital signs. Hux could see the readings of Ren's physical condition on his screen now. The injuries had been severe, but he would live. And it was essential that he lived, otherwise the Supreme Leader would not allow them to enter his secret base.

Phasma leaned closer to the front to get a better look at the readouts from the radar. The Star Destroyer _Extremis_ had just been destroyed – it was floating in broken pieces –, but the Resistance freighters were in worst shape. They had relied on the Mercenary Syndicate's assistance during the attack, but that had been a huge tactical mistake. Clearly the terms of this new alliance with the Resistance were not well defined.

General Hux breathed deeply. He couldn't allow his mind to go back to the side of the Resistance and think of how many he may have saved. Just thinking about it might give him away. To be believable as an agent of the First Order, he had to embrace the other side of the conflict completely: to think, act and breath like General Hux would.

Letting go had been the toughest part. The process had been painful and mentally straining. He had had to unlearn what he had learned, to become a new person entirely. Countless nights in deep meditation had helped him turned his mind into an impenetrable fortress. The illusion had to be perfect. No one could doubt his allegiance when he ordered a Resistance ship destroyed. Kylo Ren, with all of his Jedi training, could never be allowed to see pass the façade. There was a dark corner in Hux's mind with names for all of the lives he had taken. He never allowed himself to look away from the pain and death he had created. It would remain with him forever, as a consequence of his choices. A part of him knew that if he ever chose to ignore it, to disregard it dispassionately as collateral damage, he would slip to the Dark Side as rapidly as a slug into a Hutt's throat. Infiltrator or traitor: these words were true and did apply to him.

Soon, however, it would no longer be his way of life. All of it. It would just be a bad memory. He only had to be strong for a while longer, and then he would be free. Free to sleep forever.

" _Sir_ … Sir, are you all right?" Phasma asked, breaking the silence.

Hux looked in front of him, frowning and internally scolding himself for having taken this train of thought.

"Any sign of those coordinates?"

His co-pilot switched on the transmission scanner. Numbers started to appear on his screen. "We've got them."

 _Finally_ , thought Hux, returning to the task at hand. The location of the Supreme Leader's Fortress was a well-kept secret, released only on a need-to-know basis. Now that Snoke wanted Kylo Ren delivered to him to finish his training, General Hux was going to get his first visit of the hidden base. After years of proving his worth, he was finally allowed entry; a privilege only given to a select few.

"Course lay in," he said mechanically. The result on his screen surprised him. "Wait. We only have a partial destination."

"Confirmed," said Phasma. "We do not have the full coordinates. We're being told to keep this vector and stand by for further instructions. Is this what you expected?"

"No," he said truthfully, glancing at the monitors, "but we have to run with it. No coordinates means no hyperdrive, though. We could be out here for a while."

The stars on the main view screen began to move faster and become small white lines as the small ship accelerated. The humming of the twin engines was barely perceptible. He had expected a more straightforward journey, but this was not a bad outcome either: he would get to enjoy his ship longer than he had hoped. And Phasma's company.

"Switch the communications array to a silent mode," he told his female co-pilot. "I don't want to be disturbed for a while."

The silver stormtrooper keyed in a few commands. However, Hux was certain that his ship was being monitored. To get some privacy would require more drastic measures.

He rose from his seat and went to kneel behind Phasma's chair. She swung around to watch him, but he motioned to her to keep her attention to the communication screen. He opened a wall panel by pulling it sharp, exposing some wires and other components. He immediately found a bleeping light that was not part of the ship's specs.

"How is our passenger?" he asked casually as he carefully pulled out a series of wires.

"Kylo Ren is fully secured and sedated," she replied mechanically.

"Excellent," said Hux. He saw a small knife at Phasma's belt and took it.

All it needed was a tiny cut. The bleeping light stopped instantly.

He went back to his seat and checked the new status on the screen, half-smiling as he studied the results.

"Communications are clean. We're free to talk. It looks like the hyperdrive has also been tempered with. And the stealth armor," he added bitterly. "Not that it matters. I'll get my astromech droid to work on it right away. Commander Vano had me on a leash, it seems. Oh well, he's not going to worry much about my comings and goings anymore."

The silver-clad stormtrooper lifted her helmet. Her eyes were fixed on him, and she wasn't smiling at his joke. Phasma had pale skin and short blond hair, and she was strikingly beautiful. It was ironic that she kept her face hidden most of the time. He only wished that she would smile more.

He could feel his blood rush to his head as she kept just staring intensely at him. He had enough self-control not to blush. However, he needed Phasma on his side, not on the defensive.

He swallowed, and then found a good question to break the silence. "How is Kylo Ren, really? Do I have to worry about him waking up anytime soon?" He was glad to hear himself in his tone of voice; not the authoritative General Hux.

She hesitated. "No."

"No?" he repeated. "Maybe we should take this opportunity to cut his godforsaken hair. How would you like him bald?"

He glanced back at her, hoping to see her lips curve. He found her awkwardness beautiful and amusing. "I took out their listening devise, Phasma. _Please_ , let me be myself just for a little while. Go on. Speak your mind. You don't usually take that helmet off unless you have something to say."

She opened her mouth to speak, but she shut it just as quickly.

Hux flashed a smile at her. "Come on. What's the matter?"

She sighed, shifted on her seat, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Do you have a death wish?"


	7. Chapter 7 Hux and Phasma

STAR WARS VIII: CHILDREN OF THE FORCE

CHAPTER 7: Hux and Phasma

His mood darkened. "I know what I'm doing."

Phasma shook her head, releasing a lock of hair from behind her ear. "Your rogue stormtroopers are attracting too much attention. I told you to avoid taking from my division. It's becoming harder to cover the evidence, especially after FN-Two-One-Eight-Seven. Were those additional two on the rogue TIE Fighter really necessary?"

"Yes."

Hux decided to turn off his status screens, which had the effect of reducing the level of light on the cockpit. He had always liked to fly in low power mode, with only starlight showing the way. This was how space should really be enjoyed: through calm and symbiosis, not through scorching explosions and chaos.

He leaned on his chair, massaging his neck. This was a conversation that he had hoped to put off for as long as possible.

"The first stormtrooper, AC-2326, has the location and authorisation codes for access to the stormtrooper's training facility." He caught Phasma's startled gaze from the corner of his eyes. "The second one, NX-1211, has the key to activate the cascade failure of the stormtroopers' conditioning program."

Her mouth dropped opened. "You really did it."

"Yes."

She shifted to the edge of her chair; her helmet dropped to the floor but she ignored it. "Then you can leave!" she almost shouted. "You have Kylo Ren in custody. Change course now!"

She reached for the command panel, but he stopped her hand as gently as he could. "No."

For a second she looked at both their hands; his hand on top of hers. Then she retreated and said, "You're waiting for the coordinates. Of course. Forgive me."

"Snoke must be taken down," he added straight away. "Someone must kill him. This is a unique chance. I must take it."

Her eyes went wide. "Was this part of the plan?"

He didn't like her accusing tone. He had purposely avoided telling her his final objective, but he had hoped that she would be more open to his line of thinking. After all, Phasma was someone who understood the meaning of sacrifice. "Yes, it was always the plan," he replied.

She was shaking her head in disapproval. "I see. So you _lied_."

"No, I didn't… Don't twist it around."

"What about the Force? You didn't look so well the last time you used it. You weren't lying about that. You can't go against someone like Snoke with less than your full powers."

He snorted, annoyed. "It wasn't the same thing. I was trying to break into Ren's mind, to show him the Light, without him knowing that there was an outside influence. I did it a few times with him, but this time I stretched myself too much, because I thought it might be my last chance. I was exhausted afterwards, that's all."

He shifted in his seat, feeling a little awkward.

"I don't think I have to explain myself to you, anyway. The Jedi are in short supply at the present time, in case you haven't noticed."

"I know, but your father..."

"My father," he interrupted her, "is chasing something that doesn't exist. It's time for him to come out of hiding, and become what he can become. He's not the last Jedi, but he will be if he does nothing about it. He's got his mind set on that place, because he thinks he will get the guidance of Jedi Masters of the past. _Dead_ Masters _,_ by the way. But the Jedi don't need a place, they need _him_. He's a great teacher, regardless of how Ben turned out. He's the last hope for the Jedi Order, he always was. We can all see it – my mother knew it – so why can't he?"

He caught his breath, unsettled by what he was saying. He couldn't let this issue with his father get to him. He had to remain focused on the ultimate goal.

Phasma was watching him silently. "I was going to say that your father sent me to protect you."

He could understand her dismay, but it wasn't rational. He had been given an opportunity and he wasn't going to back out now. Too many people had died for him to get this far.

He tried to sound as resolute as possible. "You can't protect me from this." He caught Phasma's incredulous stare and added, "My father will understand."

Her features softened. "You're right about everything, of course."

He took a long breath. Watching the stars in the view screen usually had a relaxing effect on him, but this topic was so close to his heart that the words were not coming out easily. "He thinks he'll see my mother. That's what he's waiting for on Ahch-To. Something changed in the Force not long after the Battle of Endor. My father used to see Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda, in a kind of ghostly form. Then, it just stopped, for no reason. So my father turned his attention to the myths surrounding the Jedi. The places of legends. The Jedi Temples."

"Your mother's research," Phasma whispered.

Hux nodded. "She was very determined about it. And my father… he was helping the New Republic. He just didn't have time for it. My mother is the one who gathered all of the knowledge she could find about the Jedi, the Sith, the Knights of Ren, and possibly others."

"Maybe that's why he wants to talk to her," Phasma said in a hushed voice, "maybe he thinks she knows something he doesn't. Some kind of key maybe?"

Hux allowed himself a half-smile. "You mean something like the location of the next generation of potential Jedi, including my sister."

Phasma gasped. "You have a _sister_? Why are you telling me this?"

"The point is, I think he's waiting for _her_ , you know? But it's time for him to move on. He can't rely on the past to guide him anymore. He has to look ahead. There are people who need him."

Now that he was speaking openly about his father and sister, the crushing longing that he had been trying to avoid rose in his chest, making it almost difficult to breathe. He couldn't give in now. He was on a different path than they were. He had to believe that they would find each other. Rey was the _Skywalker Heir_ now. This fact held much hope, and challenge, and danger, but she would be all right, he was sure of that. There was very little chance that he would see them again. He closed his eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of the future, but all that he could see was darkness, as though a black veil had been pulled over his eyes.

That blackness had always been in his future. Always. He had accepted it a long time ago.

When he looked up, Phasma had not moved. She was only staring at him. "Sometimes I wonder who is training who," she said softly.

He smiled weakly. "I'd be a really bad teacher."

She seemed to relax a little.

"How will you kill Snoke? Some people say that he can't be killed. I assume that you have a plan."

"I do. You're in it," he said a little playfully.

He swung his chair around, reaching up to light a diagnostic screen. The display showed the twin engines, fully operational.

He almost laughed when he saw her puzzled expression.

"There are enough components in only one of these engines to blow up a small moon."

Phasma's mouth dropped opened. "You're going to blow up the _Tomorrow Star_."

"No. I will take out the engine and assemble the bomb on site."

They both stared at the display for a while. He knew that she could see the potential of this plan. Building the bomb on site was a good way to stay clear of the bomb detectors.

"How long will it take to make?"

He reviewed the schematics in his head. "I did it in eight hours in a simulation. I can do it again in six."

He knew how bad that sounded, but there were components that needed to cool down in the process, others that needed to be handled very carefully. He had developed his plan without any precise idea of the security on Snoke's fortress. He had just assumed that it was well-equipped with all of the best counter-measure systems currently in use. A timer would also be useless in such an environment, so he had thought of another option.

"And how will you set it off?" Phasma asked, echoing his thoughts.

"I'll have the detonator with me." He switched on a communication channel. "Green, come and see us on the bridge."

"Green?" repeated Phasma.

"My astromech droid. His designation is Artoo-Seven-Nine but... you'll see."

The door chimed and slid opened, revealing a standard white droid on wheels, but with a splash of dark green mirroring paint on the top of its head, covering his entire dome like a dark hat.

"I had a little accident while painting the stealth armor," Hux explained merrily. "Green, open up, will you?"

The top of the astro droid's head swirled to reveal a hidden compartment from which Hux pulled out a lightsaber. Seeing Phasma's startled gaze, he handed her the weapon for inspection.

The weapon had a sleek and unpretentious design, heavier than he would have liked because of the type of components he had used. It was easily the weight of _two_ lightsabers. It was too shiny and too new for his taste, and he knew that Phasma was thinking exactly along the same lines. He was out of practice, and the lightsaber was a reflection of that fact.

"How you managed it is beyond me," the Stormtrooper uttered in wonder.

"I hid a detonator in the handle," he said proudly, putting the weapon back into Green's dome.

In truth, the weapon had been his life-line in the past couple of days. Making it had helped him remember who he really was.

Phasma crossed her arms on her chest. "Do you even remember how to use it?"

"I do," he cried out, irritated. "But I'm not stupid. Snoke's training comes from the Knights of Ren. I'd rather not go one-on-one with him. I'm good, but I'm not _that_ good. The bomb is more important."

She stared at him intently again. "And what about Kylo Ren?"

His feelings about his cousin were not as clear as they were for Snoke. Ben Solo had many faults, but he had also been cruelly manipulated by the Supreme Leader. Hux had devoted many sleepless nights trying to call Kylo Ren to the light. There had to be hope for him, no matter how slim. Otherwise, where was the hope for General Hux?

"I've done what I can for him. Someone else will have to try."

"And if he gets in your way?" Phasma asked.

Ben was the only element that he couldn't figure out, in all of his plans.

"I can't fight him. It doesn't end well for me."

The stormtrooper moved to the edge of her seat. "Then allow me to kill him," she said between gritted teeth.

"No!" Hux cried out, a little more forcefully than he had intended. "I can't… How can I face Leia? It's too dark…" He closed his eyes and pushed the thought out of his mind. He had done so many horrible things while wearing the face of General Hux. Yet killing Kylo Ren had something final and irreparable, perhaps because it was the easy way.

"I can't kill him. If it comes to it, I'll just have to improvise," he said to Phasma.

She leaned back in her chair.

"And the _Tomorrow Star_? You're not destroying it. Perhaps we can use that to…"

"No," he said, cutting her off. "I need you to forget about Kylo Ren."

"I don't understand…"

He interrupted her by catching her hand and holding it. "You're going to run away from the First Order. You'll take the _Tomorrow Star_ to Tatooine and deliver a message to my father."

"Tattoine?" she asked, almost in a whisper. She had not moved her hand. She seemed frozen.

"If FN-2187 delivered his message properly, my father will go there. He'll think it's important."

He could see in her eyes that she was taking in the implications of what he was asking her. Turning her back to the First Order meant that she would be a fugitive for the rest of her life. She would get no help from the Resistance either. She would be entirely on her own.

"And what's the message?"

"That he must stop waiting for my mother and do what he's supposed to do, and all that stuff I said earlier about being the only hope for the Jedi. Please don't make me repeat it."

She was staring at his hand now, holding hers. She was the only person who could speak to his father on his behalf. He could trust no one else. Also, he wanted her to live, not to sacrifice herself for his sake. There was no other way. He had to let her go.

He released her hand abruptly, putting his palms on the main control panel instead, and trying very hard to stop his nerves from trembling and his heart from pounding.

"This is how it should be," he said under his breath. "I destroyed planets. I knew that there was no coming back from that. But tell him I didn't turn to the Dark Side, will you?"

"I can't let you sacrifice yourself," she said softly. "I promised to protect you."

He glanced sideways at her, trying very hard to stay focused. "You took up an assignment. It's a job, not an oath of honor. You're not a Whookie. You're not really Captain Phasma, and I'm not General Hux. You're Evanna Rin and I'm Wynn Skywalker. I'm asking as a friend. You must let me do this. You'll tell my father not to come for me. I'm sending you back so that you can guide him, instead of me. Can you do that?"

He heard her softly whispered 'yes', but he didn't dare look at her. The waves of emotions that he was feeling himself were hard to contain. He closed his eyes and took a few minutes to strengthen his inner shield. He imagined that he was a tree in the shadows; his sacrifice was allowing the other stronger trees to catch more light and grow. He was helping them, in his own way. This was what his mission had been all about: helping the Republic and the Resistance, doing what others couldn't because he was a Jedi.

He was still a Jedi, in spite of it all. He wasn't seeking fame. He wasn't seeking anything really but peace for the galaxy. He had set out on a mission - to take Snoke's life –, knowing that there would be consequences. One of those consequences was that he would lose his life. He had _seen_ it, a long time ago. Now he was at that breaking point where vision meets reality. And the bomb would wrap it up nicely by destroying whatever fortress Snoke had built around him.

It was a strange fate to know one's end. By protecting him from Ben Solo, his father had set the stage for his performance as General Hux. The Force was very mysterious in that way. The rest had just fallen into place.

He was brought out of his reverie by a bleeping sound.

"We're getting another vector to follow," said Phasma. She was standing up now, checking the control panels over his shoulders. "We could be out here for a while longer. I'm going to check out the living quarters."

"Of course," he said, slightly taken aback. She had seemed very emotional just a few minutes ago, now she was back to her formal self. How long had he been lost in his own train of thought? "I'll keep watch here, and check how Green is doing on those repairs."

"I've programmed the auto-pilot to alarm us in case of any changes in vector," offered Phasma. "Green is doing fine. I'm going to try to relax a little." When he didn't reply anything, she added with a meaningful glance, "and you're going to come with me."

It was her turn to take his hand, but he did resist her.

After all, they were alone for a while longer, and perhaps for the last time in their lives.


End file.
